Hoop and propelling means



"March 7,1939. s. HEATH 2,149,960

HOOP AND PROPELLINC- MEANS Filed Feb. 13, 1937 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to a new and useful combination hoop and propelling means and has for I one of its objects to provide a simple, effective and amusing device of this character which may be used as plaything by a child for giving recreation and exercise to the user.

Another object of this invention is to provide a propelling means having a captive hoop thereby eliminating or reducing toa minimum the possibility of accidents to the usendue to chasing a free hoop in tramc.

Another object of the invention is to construct a propelling means comprising a generally oblong shaped loop and handle which is to be used for propelling, steering, stopping and carrying the hoop temporarily connected thereto.

Another object of my invention is to make the loop of the propelling means of split formation with parts overlapping to provide a. spring closed entrance to said loop and to locate or arrange the parts so that there will not be any sharp points or ends protruding to injure the person or damage the clothes of the user.

A further object of the present invention is to construct the propelling means of material that has sufilcient resiliency to normally maintain the loop entrance closed and suflicientlypliable that the handle may be bent to various positions to accommodate its use by children of difierent heights.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, .in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my combination hoop and propelling means showing them in the approximate positions they assume when the hoop is being propelled.

In carrying out my invention as herein em bodied I represents a hoop which may .be of suitable size and produced from any desired material but preferably it is a relatively light weight metal hoop of endless construction and round in cross section. i

The hoop propelling means 6 is produced main ly from wire having a limited amount of resiliency and fashioned to produce an ogee handle I and a split oblong shaped loop 8. In forming the loop, the wire is bent at right angles to the base of the handle to form a small rear section 9 to function as a keeper, it is then bent forwardly to provide a side I0, then formed into a semicircular nose I I and carried back to produce the other side I2 paralleling the side. I0 and then bent in- Ward at right angles to form a latch or tongue I3 which underlies and engages the keeper or rear section 9. The end of the latch I3 terminates short of'the side Ill and therefore will not contact the person or clothing of the user. The nose i I is bent down at an angle to the major portion of the loop as plainly shown in the drawing, particularly Fig. 2.

The outer or free end of the handle 1 may be provided with a hand hold I4 which preferably from the keeper 9, the hoop may then be slipped through the entrance into the loop after which the latch or tongue will return to its normal position to close the entrance. I

Also the wire of the propelling means must be pliable enough topermit the handle 1 to be bent into different positions, as suggested in Fig. 2, and

remain in any position relative to the loop so that it will be suitable for children of difierent heights.

The hoop is propelled forwardly by running along withthe propelling means 6 in about the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and 2 so that the tongue II or said tongue and the keeper 9 contact the outer periphery of the hoop. When it is desired to steer the hoop toone side or the other the propelling means is positioned so the hoop is passing through the angular nose portion then by pressing either side against the hoop the latter will be caused to take the selected course.

-Whenever the operator wants to stop the hoop from rolling, as when danger is imminent, the loop of the propelling means is elevated to what is the top of the hoop and the latter lifted from the ground. In this position the hoop can be carried from one place to another if it is inadvisable to roll the same.

Ata time when theapparatus is to be laid aside or stored, the propelling means may be disconnected from the hoop which is readily accomplished by pressing the latch or tongue away from the keeper and withdrawing the hoop through the entrance. This can very easily be done by reversing the loop of the propelling means so a portion of hoop will again engage the ordinarily upper surface of tongue or latch l3 and then slipping the hoop sidewise as said tongue or latch is pressed away from the keeper 9.

From the i0 egoing it will be obvious that I have provided a structure wherein the propelling means may quickly attached to or detached from the hoop but which when connected thereto will hold said hoop captive until released by the user.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details 01' construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

In a device of the character a hoop propelling means formed from wire having some resiliency and sufficiently pliable to be bent into shape, saidwire being fashioned to provide a handle and an elongated loop, said loop consisting of a keeper forming a portion of the rear end of the loop, parallel sides, a rounded nose and a latch, the latter also forming a portion of the rear end of the loop and normally engaged with the keeper by the inherent resiliency of the wire to provide a spring closed entrance through which a hoop may be entered, the nose of the loop projecting outwardly and downwardly. I

' s SAMUEL HEATH. 

